A Local Tradition, the Coatesville Christmas Parade Set for Saturday

A local tradition, the Coatesville Christmas Parade will start on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 10 AM at Strode Avenue and Lincoln Highway, and will end at the performing and judging area at 11th Avenue and Lincoln Highway.

More than 125 entries – from dancers twirling their batons, to fleets of tow trucks, police cars, and fire trucks, to local contractors showing off their custom-crafted floats – will parade down Lincoln Highway.

“I started with the Coatesville Christmas Parade in 1976 when it was a project of the Jaycees,” said Greg DePedro, the parade’s assistant treasurer and owner of the Coatesville Flower Shop. “We ran it for a lot of years along with the Coatesville Chamber of Commerce. Our budget was about $300, and believe it or not, we thought we put on a pretty good parade for $300.

“Now our budget is over $20,000. We are fortunate that the community always responds to us. We always come in on budget and have never had to go out and collect more money. Our sponsors are just wonderful people. They know we put on a good show.”

Featured this year will be the Duffy and Quaker City String bands. Also playing will be the Eagles Pep Band, the Lukens Band, the Chester County Emerald Society Pipe Band, and the Coatesville High School Marching Band.